Do I get paid time off for antenatal appointments?

Yes. As a pregnant employee you're entitled to reasonable paid time off for antenatal appointments — at your normal rate of pay, and including travel and waiting time — from your very first day in the job. 'Antenatal care' isn't just medical appointments: it can include things your doctor or midwife recommends, like parenting or relaxation classes. Fathers and partners are entitled to take unpaid time off to go to up to two antenatal appointments.

Can I be sacked or treated unfairly for being pregnant?

No. Pregnancy and maternity is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, so you can't be treated worse because you're pregnant, have a pregnancy-related illness, or are taking or planning maternity leave. Dismissing someone because they're pregnant or on maternity leave is 'automatically unfair' — there's no qualifying period, so you're protected from day one. If it happens, you can bring a claim without needing two years' service.

What happens if I'm made redundant while pregnant or on maternity leave?

You have extra protection. From the day you tell your employer you're pregnant and for 18 months from your child's birth, if a genuine redundancy situation arises your employer must offer you any suitable alternative vacancy that exists — ahead of other employees being considered for it. A redundancy can't be used as a cover for getting rid of you because you're pregnant or on leave; that would be discrimination and automatically unfair dismissal.

Do I have the right to return to my job after maternity leave?

Yes. If you take 26 weeks or less (Ordinary Maternity Leave), you have the right to return to the same job on the same terms. If you take more than 26 weeks (up to the full 52 weeks), you can return to the same job — or, if that's genuinely not reasonably practicable, a suitable similar job on terms and conditions that are no worse. Your length of service and pension build up as if you'd never been away during ordinary maternity leave.

Does my employer have to make my job safe?

Yes. Once you've told your employer you're pregnant, they must carry out a risk assessment of your role. If there are risks to you or your baby that can't be removed, they should adjust your working conditions or hours, offer you suitable alternative work on the same terms, or — as a last resort — suspend you on full pay. They can't just ignore a genuine health and safety risk.

Pregnant at work? Your rights

While you’re pregnant

Once you tell your employer you’re pregnant, two things kick in straight away:

Paid time off for antenatal care — reasonable time off at your normal pay, including travel and waiting time, from day one of the job. It’s not just medical appointments — it can include classes your midwife or doctor recommends.
A health & safety risk assessment — your employer must check your role for risks to you or your baby. If risks can’t be removed, they should adjust your hours or conditions, offer suitable alternative work on the same pay, or — last resort — suspend you on full pay.

Tell them in writing Telling your employer in writing is what triggers your protections — the risk assessment and the 18-month redundancy protection both start from the date they know you’re pregnant. Keep a copy. Partners can also take unpaid time off for up to 2 antenatal appointments.

Protected from discrimination & dismissal

Pregnancy and maternity is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. You can’t be treated worse because you’re pregnant, have a pregnancy-related illness, or are taking or planning maternity leave. That covers pay, promotion, training, shifts and treatment.

Sacked for being pregnant = automatically unfair Dismissing you because you’re pregnant or on maternity leave is automatically unfair — with no qualifying period, so you’re protected from day one (you don’t need 2 years’ service). It would also be discrimination. See unfair dismissal.

Redundancy? You go to the front of the queue

If a genuine redundancy situation arises, you have extra protection. From the moment you tell your employer you’re pregnant and for 18 months from your child’s birth:

Your employer must offer you any suitable alternative vacancy that exists — ahead of other staff being considered for it.
A redundancy can’t be used as a cover to remove you because you’re pregnant or on leave — that’s discrimination and automatically unfair.

The 18-month window This enhanced protection (extended in 2024) runs from when you notify your pregnancy through to 18 months after the birth — so it covers you well after you’ve returned from leave, not just while you’re off.

Your right to return

You can take up to 52 weeks’ maternity leave (a day-one right), and you have a right to return:

How much leave you take	You return to
26 weeks or less (Ordinary Maternity Leave)	The same job, on the same terms.
More than 26 weeks (up to 52)	The same job — or, if that’s genuinely not reasonably practicable, a suitable similar job on terms no worse.

Do this now

Put your pregnancy notification in writing to your employer and keep a copy — it starts your protections. Take your paid antenatal time off, and ask for your risk assessment if you haven’t had one.

If you’re being treated unfairly, pushed out, or refused your rights, get free help from ACAS on 0300 123 1100, the Maternity Action advice line, or Citizens Advice. Sort the money side with maternity pay and family support.

Want to sort the money side too? Maternity pay & leave →

Source verification Primary source: GOV.UK — Pregnant employees' rights; ACAS — Pregnancy at work / redundancy protection; Maternity Action · gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights. Last verified 15 June 2026 (the day-one paid antenatal time off, the risk-assessment duty, Equality Act protection + automatically-unfair dismissal, the 18-month redundancy protection and the right to return web-checked against GOV.UK + ACAS). Confidence: High — pregnant employees get reasonable paid time off for antenatal care (incl. travel) from day one; the employer must risk-assess and, if needed, adjust/offer suitable work/suspend on full pay; pregnancy and maternity is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 and dismissal for it is automatically unfair (no qualifying period); the 2024-extended redundancy protection requires a suitable alternative vacancy to be offered with priority from notification to 18 months after birth; the right to return is to the same job (≤26 weeks) or same/suitable similar job (up to 52 weeks). Key facts: paid antenatal time off from day one (incl. travel) · risk assessment → adjust / suitable work / suspend on full pay · Equality Act protected characteristic · dismissal for pregnancy/maternity = automatically unfair, no qualifying period · 18-month redundancy protection (priority for suitable vacancy) from notification to 18 months after birth · 52 weeks' leave, right to return to same job (≤26 wks) or suitable similar (up to 52). Scope: Great Britain (Northern Ireland equivalent via nidirect). Information, not legal advice — free help from ACAS (0300 123 1100), Maternity Action and Citizens Advice.

Pregnancy & maternity at work — common questions

Do I get paid for antenatal appointments?

Yes — reasonable paid time off at your normal pay, including travel and waiting time, from your first day. Antenatal care can include classes your midwife or doctor recommends, not just medical appointments. Partners get unpaid time off for up to two appointments.

Can I be sacked for being pregnant?

No. Pregnancy and maternity is protected under the Equality Act 2010, and dismissal for it is automatically unfair with no qualifying period — you're protected from day one. You wouldn't need two years' service to claim.

What if I'm made redundant while pregnant or on leave?

From when you tell your employer you're pregnant to 18 months after the birth, if a genuine redundancy arises they must offer you any suitable alternative vacancy ahead of other staff. A redundancy can't be a cover for getting rid of you because you're pregnant — that's discrimination and automatically unfair.

Can I go back to my job after maternity leave?

Yes. After 26 weeks or less you return to the same job; after more than 26 weeks (up to 52) the same job, or a suitable similar job on no worse terms if that's genuinely not practicable. Your service and pension build up as if you'd not been away during ordinary maternity leave.

Does my job have to be made safe?

Yes. Once you've told your employer, they must risk-assess your role. If risks to you or your baby can't be removed, they must adjust your conditions or hours, offer suitable alternative work on the same pay, or suspend you on full pay as a last resort.

Sources: Paid antenatal time off, the risk-assessment duty, Equality Act protection, the 18-month redundancy protection and the right to return · GOV.UK — Pregnant employees' rights, ACAS — Pregnancy at work and ACAS — Redundancy protection. SortedUK is not a regulated adviser and this is general information — free help from ACAS, Maternity Action and Citizens Advice. Last reviewed: 15 June 2026.

Pregnant at work? You’re protected from day one.